Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Nov 13: Popular television actor Rithvik Dhanjani has opened up about a deeply distressing casting couch experience from his early days in the entertainment industry. Speaking on the podcast Two Girls and Two Cups, the actor recalled how a supposed casting director tried to take advantage of him when he was just 20 years old and struggling to find work.
Rithvik said the incident occurred in Mumbai’s Aram Nagar, a locality known as a hub for auditions and casting offices. While waiting in a long queue, he was approached by a “prominent” casting director who claimed that Rithvik had been shortlisted.
“Out of nowhere, this man called me in and said I was shortlisted. I felt so happy and grateful — I thought I was finally getting a break,” Rithvik shared. “He then told me to come to his office immediately, and I agreed without thinking much.”
When Rithvik asked for the address, the man insisted on accompanying him. “He said he’d come with me on my bike. That should have been my first red flag — someone so big didn’t even have a car or bike of his own. He sat behind me, and on the way, kept name-dropping famous actors he claimed to have launched,” Rithvik recalled.
But upon reaching the location, things took a disturbing turn. “There was no office — just a grocery store and a bun-maska stall. He led me into a narrow lane towards a locked gate. When he opened it, it was pitch dark inside. He told me his office was upstairs. I was terrified,” he said.
Trying to keep calm, Rithvik showed him his showreel on a laptop. However, midway through the video, the man turned to him and said, “In this industry, you don’t have to work hard — you have to work smart,” before attempting to touch him inappropriately.
“The moment he touched me, I froze. I was only 20. I was shaking with fear. Somehow, I managed to get out of there,” Rithvik revealed, adding that the encounter left a lasting mark on him.
Rithvik’s revelation sheds light on the darker realities many newcomers face in the entertainment industry — a reminder that the menace of the casting couch continues to haunt young aspirants seeking a fair chance in show business.